I've been using a gillette mach 3 power razor, the new one that comes in a blue color. I was wondering if I should switch to a safety razor or stick with the gillette. I heard the safety razor gives a closer shave but also is more prone to nicks and cuts of a layer of skin. Is the switch worth it? Thanks in advance.
Question about getting a razor
- Thread starter Aydind
- Start date
The switch is very worth it. I would recommend a Gillette Tech or a Gillette Blue Tip Super Speed. You just have to be a little more careful and slower, but the shave is worth it. Be careful, though. Once you buy one razor, you may have the urge to buy more and more and more.
DEs require a lot of practice and it'll take a month or more before you fully learn the necessary skills to get proper shaves.
If you're willing to invest the time, DE shaving is worth learning. If not, you can still benefit from studying up on techniques and products here on B+B.
If you're willing to invest the time, DE shaving is worth learning. If not, you can still benefit from studying up on techniques and products here on B+B.
no lies there... bought 2 techs (one was due to a lack of observation before bidding resulting in a travel tech i'll probably not use much but i like looking at it) currently have a bid on an old type and i'm resisting the urge to buy a super speed
and i keep looking at some of these others and thinking "i want one" especially some of the more interesting ones like the psycho and some of the all bakelite models
I would start with tech.
A safety razor is much cheaper to use and it isn't that difficult to use. I suppose most guys (and girls) my age learned to shave with one.
To be safe, start out with a Gillette Tech, which is a three piece razor as opposed to a twist to open (TTO). You can get a Tech off e-bay for around $10. or you may find one for sale on this board. You can get a new Tech style razor made by Lord (Lord Tech) new for about $8. The Techs are pretty mild razors and you can learn to shave with a saftey razor, commonly referred to as a "DE" for double edged, without too much worry about cutting yourself. I prefer the three piece razors to the TTO's but you will figure out what you want to use after you have tried a few different types. The choices are many and everyone has a favorite but you don't have to spend a lot of money getting into this so if you don't like it you can just ditch it.
You can get an inexpensive soap and brush at Wallgreens for just a few bucks. The brand is "Van der Hagen" commonly referred to as VDH. You will find soap and brush way better than the canned stuff from the drug store that you're probably using plus it is entertaining to learn.
I still use Williams soap most of the time but I don't recommend it as a first soap - you may never want to bother with it actually but chances are you will eventually take on the challenge. I think it is the most contested soap on B & B so if you don't try it you will never get to take a side.
Then there are a great number of brands of blades to try; that seems to be a hobby in itself. Just get a sampler pack to start with and read the reviews.
Other members will provide more advice and this is the place to come for good advice and laughs. I've found the members here to be a great bunch and I've learned quite a lot from them.
Also, there are often newbie starter kits offered for sale on the board and that may be your best and most efficient introduction to the hobby. I had never thought of shaving as a hobby but it seems to be turning into one.
Enjoy!
To be safe, start out with a Gillette Tech, which is a three piece razor as opposed to a twist to open (TTO). You can get a Tech off e-bay for around $10. or you may find one for sale on this board. You can get a new Tech style razor made by Lord (Lord Tech) new for about $8. The Techs are pretty mild razors and you can learn to shave with a saftey razor, commonly referred to as a "DE" for double edged, without too much worry about cutting yourself. I prefer the three piece razors to the TTO's but you will figure out what you want to use after you have tried a few different types. The choices are many and everyone has a favorite but you don't have to spend a lot of money getting into this so if you don't like it you can just ditch it.
You can get an inexpensive soap and brush at Wallgreens for just a few bucks. The brand is "Van der Hagen" commonly referred to as VDH. You will find soap and brush way better than the canned stuff from the drug store that you're probably using plus it is entertaining to learn.
I still use Williams soap most of the time but I don't recommend it as a first soap - you may never want to bother with it actually but chances are you will eventually take on the challenge. I think it is the most contested soap on B & B so if you don't try it you will never get to take a side.
Then there are a great number of brands of blades to try; that seems to be a hobby in itself. Just get a sampler pack to start with and read the reviews.
Other members will provide more advice and this is the place to come for good advice and laughs. I've found the members here to be a great bunch and I've learned quite a lot from them.
Also, there are often newbie starter kits offered for sale on the board and that may be your best and most efficient introduction to the hobby. I had never thought of shaving as a hobby but it seems to be turning into one.
Enjoy!
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On behalf of the 30,000 members of this site, who have spent countless millions on this hobby.........
switch!
switch!
Come to the Dark Side my child.......
Your life will never be the same.....
Razors and Blades!
Creams and Sticks!
Colognes and After Shaves!
Brushes and Oils!
Oh my!
Your life will never be the same.....
Razors and Blades!
Creams and Sticks!
Colognes and After Shaves!
Brushes and Oils!
Oh my!
Switch. . . .takes a bit of study but you will avoid decades of crappy shaves.
That right there is the million dollar question. I found the switch to be worth it. I do enjoy myself shaving now. However, I think that a very large portion of my enjoyment is derived from the improved preparation as well as making lather from creams and soaps with a brush. If I had to choose one or the other, that is either shave with a DE and can gel OR shave with a cartridge razor and nice creams, I'd keep the cartridge in a heartbeat. Of course, the two really go hand in hand and I'm getting better shaves than ever before.
Switching will require you to learn a new skill. The older style razors require the user to provide the angle of the blade to the skin, so, yes, you may experience more nicks until you learn the skill. Also the blades are sharper and better quality so they actually cut better than the thin little ones in the cartridge razors.
The major design change, besides the ridiculous number of inferior quality blades in the new cartridges, is that the heads swivel, flex or bend so that the angle the razor presents to the skin is dictated more by your face contours than the angle at which you hold the razor. This makes them "easier" for any klutz to use.
If you are happy paying more and have no desire to learn a new skill than, as suggested above, stick with the razor you are using and just buy some decent soaps or creams. They will enhance the shaving experience and will give you better shaves than the canned stuff. If you are willing to take on the challenge and learn a skill that will last a lifetime, then give it fair try of at least several weeks.
IMHO, if you have one of those vibrating things they currently sell, please dispose of it immediately- vibrating things are really not for men
Switch!
I switched from using the Gilette Disposable razors in May and so far have nicked myself maybe 3 times. I have actually gotten my whole family (men and women) and a lot of my friends to switch as well. Once you try it, the shave is so much closer than any disposable that you'll never go back. It is also much cheaper than cartridge shaving but it does take a little more time. Now it takes me about 10 minutes to shave instead of the 5 it took me with cartridge razor.
I switched from using the Gilette Disposable razors in May and so far have nicked myself maybe 3 times. I have actually gotten my whole family (men and women) and a lot of my friends to switch as well. Once you try it, the shave is so much closer than any disposable that you'll never go back. It is also much cheaper than cartridge shaving but it does take a little more time. Now it takes me about 10 minutes to shave instead of the 5 it took me with cartridge razor.
Switch, and stop sending P&G executives kids to over-priced colleges and buying them summer homes in the Hamptons.
Move over and stop giving your money to te new razors, i suggest then the money you save, put away, you will soon need it to buy every old razor available
If it's worth it?
Oh yes! Without doubt!
Oh yes! Without doubt!
Well, here's a perspective from a guy who, while he has always shaved with a brush and cream/soap (and various cart systems - from Trac II to Mach 3), has just recently made the switch to DE: I have never gotten as good, close, or irritation-free shave in my life as I am getting now with my various DE razors - and it's not even close! That said, it DID require a month or so of dedicated learning to be able to get those results - with the predictible nicks and cuts, and it is more time-consuming and requiring of my attention.
If what you're looking for is a "quick and easy" shave, I'd say stick to a cart (there are many less expensive versions out there that give very good shaves), but consider using a brush and quality cream/soap instead of something that comes out of a can. If you want a more Zen-like and luxurious experience, DE is the way to go...unless you'd prefer SE's, injectors, or straights!
If what you're looking for is a "quick and easy" shave, I'd say stick to a cart (there are many less expensive versions out there that give very good shaves), but consider using a brush and quality cream/soap instead of something that comes out of a can. If you want a more Zen-like and luxurious experience, DE is the way to go...unless you'd prefer SE's, injectors, or straights!
Switching to DE was the best thing i ever did.... RAD kicks in hard every now and them...but I'm ok with that 
+1. It takes time - but it is worth it. Once you perfect your technique you will never go back.
This weekend my wife and I visited some friends out of town. We were going to stay at that place overnight and I packed my shaving equipment which I thought had a DE razor. When I opened my shave kit all I had was a Gillette fusion razor - I had left the DE in another bag. Well I shaved with it and got what I thought was a fair shave. However, four hours later it looked like I never shaved. Plus, to get a good shave on my neck I had to make over 5 passes. The result was irritation.
Today was my first day back home - and my DE (FB today) gave me a wonderful shave. And it is 6 hours after I shaved and my face is BBS.
I would switch. If you are unsure, at least get a nice boar brush and some van der hagen soap and learn to build a good lather. Good prep is the foundation for a good shave no matter what kind of razor you use.
Switch
1) Chicks Dig it (the 2 flare tips that I have arent that nice looking, but the Slim adj. gets noticed!) manly men use real TOOL to trim wiskers, not some plastic widget turned out of some factory in a far off third world country.
2) Better shaves
3) Instead of shaving being an early morning chore, it becomes some kind of insane hobby.
4) It really could be a cheap hobby if I could only resist RAD, SCAD, and whatever else this contagious board has to offer. Holding the razor count to 3 for now, too many decisions....Mergress or Futur or Fatboy or Ranger Tech Or Merkur HD, sigh I want them all.
5) Blades are seriously cheap, buy thousands of em, you know incase of _____ insert a commerce ending disater of epic proportions
6) Everybody has a Fusion, except pple who know better or the recently converted.
7)You get to drive around from pharmacy to supermarket to mall to high end boutique looking for more and more stuff to fuel your "hobby".
8)Instead of going to bed at an appropriate hour you can spend alot of time writing very long comments about the world of shaving.
9)Having eventually purchased every razor you could ever want with an ample supply of blades, soaps, creams, aftershaves, brushs, and other misc. items you may want to sell some on B&B's b/s/t board or keep them all to yourself. Eitherway perhaps then you may finally begin that whole saving money business that you hear so much about.
10) Dont really have anything to add except that 10 seemed like a gd # to stop ranting at, Did I mention Chicks Dig It!?
Snag a Starter Kit in the B/S/T, that way when it arrives you should have almost everything you will need and wont have to wait on several packages from several places which arent likely to show up at the same time.
1) Chicks Dig it (the 2 flare tips that I have arent that nice looking, but the Slim adj. gets noticed!) manly men use real TOOL to trim wiskers, not some plastic widget turned out of some factory in a far off third world country.
2) Better shaves
3) Instead of shaving being an early morning chore, it becomes some kind of insane hobby.
4) It really could be a cheap hobby if I could only resist RAD, SCAD, and whatever else this contagious board has to offer. Holding the razor count to 3 for now, too many decisions....Mergress or Futur or Fatboy or Ranger Tech Or Merkur HD, sigh I want them all.
5) Blades are seriously cheap, buy thousands of em, you know incase of _____ insert a commerce ending disater of epic proportions
6) Everybody has a Fusion, except pple who know better or the recently converted.
7)You get to drive around from pharmacy to supermarket to mall to high end boutique looking for more and more stuff to fuel your "hobby".
8)Instead of going to bed at an appropriate hour you can spend alot of time writing very long comments about the world of shaving.
9)Having eventually purchased every razor you could ever want with an ample supply of blades, soaps, creams, aftershaves, brushs, and other misc. items you may want to sell some on B&B's b/s/t board or keep them all to yourself. Eitherway perhaps then you may finally begin that whole saving money business that you hear so much about.
10) Dont really have anything to add except that 10 seemed like a gd # to stop ranting at, Did I mention Chicks Dig It!?
Snag a Starter Kit in the B/S/T, that way when it arrives you should have almost everything you will need and wont have to wait on several packages from several places which arent likely to show up at the same time.
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